CK2 - Who will you play as first?

[Kaiserjagen]

I know it's another couple months off but I've been itching to ask the question that always inevitably comes before any big PI release.

Who will you play as first? A count, duke, king or emperor? Where and what start date? Why?

I'm torn between playing as a Norman count in England after the Norman conquest or as a duke or count in the Byzantine Empire after Manzikert. Both could be very interesting games and I know I'll enjoy the challenge of working my way up in titles and prominence. If I play the Norman count game I'd of course work my way up to dukedom and then try to seize the English crown. Afterwards, I'd attempt to gain the crowns of France and Scotland and perhaps even work my way into the HRE. My Byzantine game of course will consist of me becoming the Emperor first and foremost, and then perhaps expanding into the holy land while keeping the Latins at bay and maybe taking control of the papacy or something.

[lemonsquid]

Probably Duke of Toulouse. They seem like a fun start, if Aquitaine is naughty and tries to gain independence from France, ill definitely follow. Start from the beginning so iv got plenty of time to play, and they are good size, so plenty of opportunity. Hopefully go for the Holy Land.

[Kaiserjagen]

That's a good one too, a French duke would be nothing less than lively and playing as the Duke of Aquitaine might be a bit too powerful of a starting position for my own tastes.

[lemonsquid]

That's a good one too, a French duke would be nothing less than lively and playing as the Duke of Aquitaine might be a bit too powerful of a starting position for my own tastes.

Same, Iv never really played any Paradox game as a strong nation from the get go. I like to build myself up, gives more options and makes for a interesting game.

[Strayed4A]

Personally I'll be playing as the Count of Tirol from the beginning as homage to my first game of Crusader Kings 1. Thought it would be a good safe place to start out and learn the ropes but then I ended up inheriting a Dukedom in Denmark and through a series of bizarre events became the King of Denmark, Norway, and Sicily within 2 generations. Quickly got in over my head with all my vassals hating me and had everything fall apart. I'm going to see if I can get something equally fun and stupid to happen by not having any real goals, just going with the flow, and taking any opportunities that pop up.

[Amagaeru]

A count in south France, Montpellier or Foix...

[Haramir]

William De Normandie

[Nimic]

First game will almost certainly be as the King of Norway in the pre-Stamford Bridge date.

After that, I'm not sure. I think I'll play either one of the Irish dukes/counts or one of the Iberian Kingdoms. My two most enjoyable games in CK were with those starting positions. Eventually I'll definitely get around to playing some Byzantine or other.

[lemonsquid]

Ah and, also to finish the entire game without starting a new one, thatll be part of my quest.

[BillBear]

A Baron in Ireland.. because of my Ancestors .

[John Lackland]

The following people I'll probably play as:

Hastings start (I refuse to do the Saxon start): Robert de Mortain, Count of Mortain

Hastings: William the Conquerer

1135 (The Anarchy): King Stephen

Regards,

Anarchist

[Sam L]

Maybe Mathilde di Canossa. Does she still face the dilemma of losing the game by marrying as there were no other di Canossas around in CK1?

[Ograv]

King of Norway for my first game, maybe. Looks like the north is independent, and you start in a difficult war where you'll have to beat both saxon England and William. And then comes the kicker: Send your heir to be raised by a norse pagan! When I get tired of that game, I'll either load up as a different ruler in some interesting area in the save, or do something new. Could be a good learning game.

I'd also like to start as the Duke of Apulia, rack up piety beating the sicilian/arab states in Sicily, hire the Hospitalliers and/or the Templars, and conquering and forming the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Keep it till I can change from gavelkind, then give it to a gifted 3rd son or something, or Bohemond if he's still alive at that point, and continue as him. Then push until my glorious crusading blob reaches from the Horn of Africa to Persia to Greece.

Or Barcelona --> Aragon --> Sicily and Sardinia --> Jerusalem, Greece, etc.

Another one: Duke of Toulouse, and then embrace Catharism!

Who knows which character I'll really end up with as my first game. I want to play them all..

Edit:

Maybe Mathilde di Canossa. Does she still face the dilemma of losing the game by marrying as there were no other di Canossas around in CK1?

Nope, you can arrange a Matrilinear marriage now that keeps the mothers dynasty for any children. So Matilda is fully playable.

[Kokomorari]

Byzantium

Apulia

Leon

Any of those three, but I like to play in Rus too, or France.

[GrimGreen]

count of brabant or steirmark if they are in the game , the ottokars in styria are an interesting dynasty =p, if not proberly the joy of playing the count of luxembourg who is a duke in ck2 O:, since the trencarvels are viscounts i guess they aren't in toulouse?

[Gatkramp]

My first game will be as Werner I Count of Habsburg, since we share a name. From there it is up in the air. I will definitely play as William the Bastard at some point, and I will probably give an Iberian count or duke a go as well. Not to mention a game in the Eastern Roman Empire. All at game start. Other than game start, I think I might try a short game as Edward III King of England (and France). Other than that, we will have to see what kind of DLC is released later on.

Once the mods start coming out, I look forward to having a go at the Game of Thrones mod. Probably first game as the Starks, after that probably one of the lesser known characters.

[Doler12]

I will play as Alexios just after his coronation. After that i might try a Spanish kingdom or Cilicia.

[JackTheRipper21]

The Glorious D'Estes the Dukes of Lombardia in 1066, they have formed the core of my most entertaining games. Does anyone know if they are still in CK II?

[Maleficus]

Either Bavaria or one of the Spanish kingdoms most likely for me. That said, I am tempted by Toulouse and Saxon England. I'm sure I'll get around to playing most dynasties sooner or later of course...

[MataNiall]

I'll be playing as Tir Eoghain in honor of my ancestors